Behind a Closed Door
by Nikki2131
Summary: Denial and Jealously through the eyes of Bruce Banner. The doctor is denied his love for a girl who loves a brat like Clint Barton. While Clint is Alyssa's prince charming, Bruce is forced to be the monster in this unfair world. A stand alone story based on the three-shot "Denial and Jealously" Rated M for language only.


_I decided that since Bruce made a small appearance in Denial and Jealously that there needed to be a short story on his side of that story. Its more of a drabble more than anything else. I had the idea a couple of days after posting Denial and Jealously. It can be a stand alone one-shot but it would make entirely more since if you went to read Denial and Jealously first. Enjoy though! I wanted to do something sad since I've done more humorous things for my first stories on FanFic. I don't own Marvel Characters. _

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**Behind a Closed Door**

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Bruce Banner was a simple man and did not want for much. He was gracious that Tony had given him a place to stay and even more so when he was given access to Tony's labs as well. He was given more than he could ever need, but Bruce was still a man. A man with a heart and he had foolishly let it be stolen by another woman. As if Betty was not enough to make Bruce a morbid and depressed soul; as soon as he thought he was over her, Alyssa Ryhes stepped into his life. He both cherished and regretted ever knowing her.

Bruce would never regret the time he was able to spend near Alyssa, but he did regret how easily his heart was won over by her and she had not even tried to steal it in the first place. She was charming and sweet, down to Earth and a simple woman, just as he was a simple man. She had a beautiful smile and a soul to match and her entire presence was simply infectious.

He never made an advancement on her because such a beautiful creation never deserved to be near a monster like him. Even though Bruce denied himself the chance to be with her, it didn't hurt any less when Clint began to show signs of a wanting male. Hawkeye would never be good enough for Alyssa. She was a woman and deserved a man that didn't play games with her like Barton did.

Clint would become jealous but then deny any feelings for Alyssa. No woman deserved to be in that situation, much less Alyssa. She was just too perfect and beautiful to have to deal with Clint. Yet Bruce never did anything to stop it. He put on a smile, acted as Alyssa's filter when she was pissed off at Clint and took care of her like any doctor should. He was thankful for the times that Clint hurt Alyssa, as selfish as that sounded, because it gave him more time with her.

Bruce probably cherished their doctor-patient time more than he should. He almost sounded like a creepy old man and in retrospect; he was being a creepy old man. Wanting a younger woman the way he did was just not healthy, but being near her made his want feel right. They agreed on many things and talked so easily to one another. It felt completely right. Bruce never hurt her and she never hurt him intentionally.

He watched her from afar longing to have such a beautiful goddess to hold. He had thought about telling her about his feelings. Dr. Banner was not a cocky guy, but he did believe he was more of a man than Clint could ever be, not that he would tell that to the agent. It would only cause more trouble than it was worth to start some sort of pissing contest with that insufferable brat. But, the way Alyssa looked at Clint, told Bruce all he needed to know. She would not love him because she loved Clint.

The two agents might have danced around the subject, but Clint and Alyssa were meant for each other. It left Bruce to be alone once again in such a cruel world. He was fine with that, or at least he told himself that. He was fine being alone in the labs, and going asleep in a bed by himself and spending his time longing after something he couldn't have. Bruce was fine. For all of his life, Bruce was fine. He was probably the only one that believed that lie.

But after he heard Alyssa say it; those words that felt like knives through his heart, Bruce felt even more alone. Alyssa meant no harm by those words and the good doctor could not be mad about it, but it didn't numb the pain any less.

It had started as a normal day; Alyssa had graced Bruce with her presence and plucked him from his work in the lab. He had stayed up through the night, working on notes and charts that he didn't realize what time it was until Alyssa told him. She looked beautiful even when she was not trying. Obviously she had just gotten up herself and was worried enough for Bruce to forgo herself getting dressed to check on him. Bruce Banner was not a pervert, but he was still a a man and didn't mind how her shorts showed off her long legs.

"Come on and get something to eat mister" she had told him, tugging on his arm while rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Simply adorable in his eyes and he allowed her to drag him up to the lounge like area. When the elevator doors slid open and revealed Tony and Barton, Bruce felt himself sour. He decided to busy himself with a newspaper, not wanting to be there anymore because he knew how Clint was. He would make up some childish reason to leave and worry Alyssa and she would follow him like a lost puppy.

As he predicted, Clint started his melodramatic bullshit when Bruce had tried to be a doctor to Alyssa. She had hurt her leg during a session of training with Steve and Bruce was only making sure that it was healing correctly.

Clint had run out of the room like a child when Bruce had examined Alyssa's leg. Sure, he enjoyed the feel of her smooth skin, but Clint was the one being immature about the whole situation. Bruce couldn't deny the spark he felt in his hands and that charming smile that Alyssa gave him before leaving to check on Clint. She was such a good person and Clint didn't deserve her time or her attention. Yet she gave it to him constantly, even when he hurt her.

After the two didn't come down from the roof for some time, Bruce decided it might be best to check on them. Alyssa was sensitive and Clint didn't know how to treat women. Telling Tony that he was going to make some herbal tea, the billionaire didn't even blink as Dr. Banner left. Thinking about it now, Bruce wished he just wasn't as nice as he was.

He took the elevator up all the way to the top floor, having to use stairs that led to a space between the top floor and the roof. More or less it was for storage. He moved across the room, scratching the back of his head, already hearing the two voices. His angel and the bastard his angel wanted to be around. He prepared himself to comfort her, and he was embarrassed to admit that he enjoyed it when Clint made her upset. It gave Bruce more time with Alyssa.

The doctor moved up the stairs that led to the open roof five or six stories above Tony's landing pad for the Iron man suit. He neared the door and turned the knob, opening it maybe a half inch before hearing words that cut into him like the sharpest knife._ "There is nothing going on between Bruce and I"_ Alyssa's voice was very clear as she spoke to Clint.

Bruce closed the door as quietly as he could. He knew that they were not an item, but somehow it hurt him to the deepest core to hear the words come out of her mouth. To know fully know that he didn't have a chance with her. It was as if his dreams had been shattered. In his mind, Bruce had hidden a little fantasy world that the two of them had some kind of connection. That they would go on dates and eventually be married. Bruce couldn't help but chide himself for it now.

And that world was shattered. He no longer had that hope to hang onto and he fell into the darkness of loneliness once again. Life simply wanted him to be alone. Bruce Banner should have known better but as a simple man he had let his heart be stolen by a girl who didn't even want it in the first place. he placed his forehead on the door, sighing, feeling his fingers shake. Not out of anger. Maybe it was a bit of anger, but it was sadness. Anger that Alyssa wanted a boy like Clint, and sadness that she easily dismissed Bruce.

_"Look Clint. You're adorable and a great man"_ Alyssa said, the happiness in her voice unmistakable. There went another knife through Bruce. Clint was a boy, acted like a boy and through temper tantrums like a boy would. Bruce was the man here and honestly he hated feeling of bitterness but it was just not fair. He had treated her better than Clint would ever.

Then again, it's not like Bruce could really say anything about it. He had a green monster ready to jump out at any sudden anger. He didn't blame Alyssa for not wanting him. He had the heavy burden of Hulk. No woman in her right mind would ever want him. Bruce decided it was time to retreat back to the lab and immerse himself in the work there.

He knew that she would forever plague his mind, but working in the labs would help him ease the pain. It's not like he could end it all with a bullet, he had tried that once before and having the Hulk made it impossible. It would be nice though, if he didn't have to bother with life anymore and the heartache that it caused him. The world had never done him any favors and only dealt him blows to the heart.

Alyssa had been his only light in this dark and dreary time, and she was slowly disappearing from his world, being eclipsed by Hawkeye. His longing would never disappear, regardless if he tried to make it go away or not. Hawkeye would get the girl; he would be her prince charming while Bruce was forced to be the monster of the kingdom and never able to have love in his life.

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_I hope you enjoyed that story. If you did, favorite please! It helps me to know I wrote a good story! ^.^ If you didn't like it, leave a review or leave a review anyway if you want to see something else or have a suggest for another story. Please and thank you ^.^ Thanks for reading. _


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